Digvesh Rathi getting into a habit of inviting controversies

Digvesh Rathi’s heated clash with Nitish Rana during the DPL T20 Eliminator raises questions about his growing controversies in cricket.

Digvesh Rathi, the talented leg-spinner who has been making waves with his promising bowling skills, has once again landed in a controversy during the Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2025. His heated spat with Nitish Rana, captain of West Delhi Lions, in the Eliminator match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium has again raised serious questions about his temperament on the field. 

This latest incident, coupled with his past breaches of the IPL code of conduct earlier in 2025, highlights a worrying pattern that threatens to overshadow his cricketing potential.

What happened between Rathi and Rana?
The clash between Digvesh Rathi and Nitish Rana dominated headlines beyond the boundary ropes despite the high-quality cricket on display in the DPL Eliminator. Nitish Rana had delivered a blistering unbeaten knock of 134 off just 55 deliveries, guiding his team to a commanding victory while intensely engaging with Rathi on the field. 

A video of their confrontation went viral, showing a fiery exchange where Rana imitated Rathi’s trademark “book-signing” celebration after smashing a six, which irritated Rathi and led to a verbal altercation. 

The tension escalated quickly to the point where both players had to be separated by teammates and officials. Subsequently, Rathi was fined 80% of his match fees for breaching the code of conduct under Article 2.2, conduct contrary to the spirit of the game, while Rana was fined 50% for an offensive gesture during the match.

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Past record of Digvesh Rathi
This incident is not an isolated one for Digvesh Rathi. Earlier in the 2025 IPL season, he had been penalised multiple times for breaches of the code of conduct. The most notable was during a match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, where Rathi’s animated “notebook” send-off to Abhishek Sharma after dismissing him triggered a heated on-field confrontation. This led to Rathi receiving two demerit points and a one-match suspension. 

Combined with earlier infringements, a point against Punjab Kings and two against Mumbai Indians, he accumulated five demerit points, which automatically triggered his suspension for a subsequent game in IPL 2025.

Rathi carries lot of potential 
While the controversies around his behaviour grab headlines, it is important not to overlook the undeniable talent Digvesh Rathi possesses as a bowler. In his IPL 2025 debut season with Lucknow Super Giants, Rathi impressed with his leg-spin, claiming 14 wickets in 13 matches with a strike rate of 22.2 and an average of 30.64. His economy rates (8.25) and ability to bowl tight spells under pressure have drawn admiration. 

Rathi often credits his idol, the legendary West Indies spinner Sunil Narine, for inspiring his attacking bowling style. Like Narine, Rathi seeks to outsmart batters with variations and calmness in high-pressure situations. He has acknowledged that his intent is to be more attacking and to maintain composure, much like Narine, known for his impeccable control and effectiveness.

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The way forward for Rathi 
However, Rathi’s recurrent disciplinary issues point to a greater need for maturity and focus on his craft rather than on-field aggression. While fiery passion can fuel performance, repeated breaches of the code of conduct reflect poorly not only on him but also on the teams he represents. 

The IPL and DPL, like all professional leagues, emphasise respect for the spirit of the game, discipline, and sportsmanship as much as skill. Continuing down a path of disciplinary troubles risks derailing Rathi’s promising career before he fully realises his potential.

For a young, talented cricketer like Digvesh Rathi, the priority must shift from antics and emotional confrontations to consistent performance and professionalism. His ability to take crucial wickets and bowl economically in tight matches is what will secure him a stable and long-lasting career in competitive cricket. 

Experts alike have noted that if Rathi can channel his energy positively and refine his temperament, he could grow to be one of the leading wrist spinners in the Indian cricket circuit following in the footsteps of his idol, Sunil Narine.

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